In the comments section for this track someone has written “I’m a Kieran-sexual (musically speaking)” which is a bit gross but at the same time I know what they mean.
You get the sense that KH is having some fun with Feelings. The monstrous track name is almost unsearchable. And in the track itself, an iconic Star Guitar sample gets kicked back to the beat by Britney. Fun.
Kieran Hebden is the man behind KH (aka Four Tet). You can see him play live, accompanied by the incredible Squidsoup lighting, at Alexandra Palace in the new year.
Happy New Year HME crew. I’m looking forward to what 2022 has to offer, but before then, one final post on 2021.
I’ve started to form a bit of a theory: are personalised end of year wrap-ups a bit like dreams? Everyone finds their own fascinating and everyone else’s immensely boring…
Anyway… here are my most played tracks of the year courtesy of Spotify and Soundcloud.
They just don’t make albums like this anymore. Throwing it back to 2001 with Groove Armada’s seminal third album, Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub). Andy Cato and Tom Findlay shot to stardom with their previous album Vertigo; that release was certified Platinum in the UK and is a huge lounge record – think Inside my Mind (Blue Skies). Then, just one year later, as the title of the album suggests, they left the lounge behind to craft some bigger beats. This move was not a simple one, since ‘Chill Out’ was at the crest of a wave in 2001 (a movement that they had a hand in creating). The move also alienated some of their fans, but you have to say that history has proven them right on this one.
There is so much to love about this album. First up, Suntoucher. Six and a half minutes of the highly talented Jeru the Damaja channeled into a new world of groovy electronica. “Focus like a samurai, stronger than a Mai Tai”. Massive rhymes. You can read more of my thoughts on Jeru and this track here.
Suntoucher is followed by Superstylin’ which still hits different. The BBC wrote at the time that its bass line was “big enough to bowl over a bungalow.” You’ll understand when you listen to it.
And then we have My Friend. Try and listen to the opening two seconds and not get carried away.
Finally, a new find for me is Fogma. Groove Armada pick up a sample from the (now heavily overplayed) Bam Bam by Sister Nancy and take it into pretty brutal Chemical Brothers electro club territory.
All in all, the album is a classic. Not much more needs to be said.
Sports and music have a long and mixed relationship. For every iconic theme tune (Grandstand, MOTD, Champions League) and huge tournament track (hey there Waka Waka, Three Lions, World in Motion) you get an utter lemon (looking at you Ant & Dec). But with sports properties constantly seeking to attract new and younger audiences, reaching them through music is always going to be an attractive option.
Which brings me to this – F1, meet the Chemical Brothers
Will core F1 fans like it? For the most part, probably no. Will fans of the Chemical Brothers like it? They’ve done a pretty good job of weaving F1 content into an authentically Chemical Brothers feel – so yeah. But these two questions kind of miss the point. Through this collaboration, F1 will get their IP in front of a few million young(ish), potential new fans, and create a positive association. That type of positive brand equity is exactly what they’re trying to build, and where the impact will be most felt. Which is great (as long as you don’t pay too much attention to the ‘World’s Fastest Remix‘…)
Bonus track: so I’m big into the Chemical Brothers and I’m pretty psyched about the new album No Geography which drops April 12th . Until then, here’s a previous post and a tasty remix by Riton.
Here in Harry’s head we’re building up to the weekend. Three bona fide pure gold bangers from electro royalty coming right up. Also, it says something about how deep the discography is for these guys that none of these tracks appears in their top 10. You can go for hours on the Chem Bros.
First up Swoon. Never have sirens sounded so bloody good. And just you wait until you get to 2 minutes in. Phwoar.
To follow, a touch of Saturate.
And finally, the Shinichi Osawa remix of Star Guitar. Enjoy responsibly.
HARRY'S MUSICAL EMPORIUM 